Cruffins, the Latvian bakery renowned for its inventive croissant-muffin hybrids, opens its first UK store in London’s Covent Garden, introducing new savoury options and a customer loyalty club in its international debut.
Cruffins, the Latvian bakery famed for its innovative croissant-muffin hybrids, has marked its entry into the UK market with a flagship store in the bustling heart of London’s Covent Garden on Drury Lane. This much-anticipated launch introduces Londoners to the brand’s signature flaky pastries, complemented by a new savoury offering—the Cruffin Burger, which uses the bakery’s laminated dough to craft rich, multi-layered sandwiches laden with flavourful fillings.
The menu at Cruffins showcases a range of sweet creations that reflect the brand's commitment to high-quality ingredients and imaginative flavours. Patrons can enjoy options such as Raspberry Cheesecake, filled with tangy coulis and whipped cream cheese; Pistachio with silky ganache and crushed nuts; Coconut-pineapple; and a decadent Snickers cruffin featuring caramel and roasted peanuts. A dedicated breakfast menu, available from 8 am, features enticing choices like Salmon and Avocado, Chicken Caesar, and The Londoner—a Drury Lane exclusive combining smoked bacon, brown sauce hollandaise, and a soft Clarence Court egg.
To complement the pastries, Cruffins serves specialty coffee by Volcano, alongside premium teas, matcha, kombucha, beer, and a curated selection of sparkling wines and Champagne, catering to both traditional and contemporary tastes. The bakery’s design aesthetic is reflected in its striking blue and white interiors, which extend to the walls, menus, and takeaway packaging. With seating for 50 inside and select outdoor tables, Cruffins offers a perfect spot for people-watching while enjoying quality pastries in one of London’s most vibrant neighbourhoods.
The opening also introduces the Cruffins Club, a loyalty scheme designed to engage regular customers with exclusive rewards, secret flavours, and surprise gifts triggered by repeat visits and creative interactions. This initiative aims to build a community around the brand’s craft and creativity.
Janis Vilisons, Director of Cruffins, acknowledged the challenge and opportunity of entering London’s highly competitive and discerning food scene. Speaking about the launch, Vilisons said, “London has one of the most exciting, creative and highly discerning food scenes in the world. We know we have to earn our place here — and that’s exactly what we intend to do. We’ve built a brand around craft, quality and imagination, and this opening is just the beginning for Cruffins in the UK.”
The bakery’s cult status began in its hometown Riga, Latvia, where since its opening in August 2023, it quickly gained a devoted following for its Instagrammable and delicious cruffins. The bakery’s distinct blend of flaky laminated dough and imaginative fillings captured local and tourist attention alike, establishing it as a notable culinary destination.
Cruffins’ new London venue spans 2,815 square feet, combining locations on 181 Drury Lane and 12 Stukeley Street, secured on a direct lease reportedly worth £140,000 annually. This significant investment underscores the brand’s ambition to solidify its presence in the UK market and grow its reputation beyond its Baltic origins.
As Cruffins enters the vibrant London food landscape, its blend of innovative product offerings, quality craftsmanship, and playful customer engagement position it as a fresh and exciting addition to the city’s bakery scene, inviting Londoners to experience the reimagined pastry hybrid that has captivated Riga and now aims to make its mark internationally.
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Source: Noah Wire Services
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
8
Notes:
The narrative reports on Cruffins' recent UK launch on Drury Lane, with the earliest known publication date being 3 September 2025. ([londonworld.com](https://www.londonworld.com/whats-on/cruffin-bakery-london-drury-lane-5300546?utm_source=openai)) The report includes updated data and mentions the opening date as 7 September 2025, indicating freshness. However, the presence of similar content across multiple outlets suggests potential recycling. The narrative is based on a press release, which typically warrants a high freshness score. No discrepancies in figures, dates, or quotes were found. No earlier versions show different information. The narrative includes updated data but recycles older material, which may justify a higher freshness score but should still be flagged.
Quotes check
Score:
9
Notes:
The narrative includes a direct quote from Janis Vilisons, Director of Cruffins: “London has one of the most exciting, creative and highly discerning food scenes in the world. We know we have to earn our place here — and that’s exactly what we intend to do.” A search reveals this quote is unique to this report, indicating originality. No identical quotes appear in earlier material. No variations in wording were found. No online matches were found, raising the score but flagging it as potentially original or exclusive content.
Source reliability
Score:
7
Notes:
The narrative originates from Hospitality & Catering News, a reputable organisation. However, the report is based on a press release, which may indicate a lack of independent verification. The report mentions the opening date as 7 September 2025, which is in the future relative to the publication date, raising questions about the accuracy of the timeline. The report includes updated data but recycles older material, which may justify a higher freshness score but should still be flagged.
Plausability check
Score:
8
Notes:
The narrative makes a surprising claim about the opening of a new bakery in Covent Garden, which is covered elsewhere. ([londonworld.com](https://www.londonworld.com/whats-on/cruffin-bakery-london-drury-lane-5300546?utm_source=openai)) The report lacks supporting detail from other reputable outlets. The report lacks specific factual anchors, such as names, institutions, or dates, reducing the score and flagging it as potentially synthetic. The tone is consistent with typical corporate or official language. The structure includes excessive or off-topic detail unrelated to the claim, noted as a possible distraction tactic. The tone is unusually dramatic, vague, or doesn’t resemble typical corporate or official language, flagged for further scrutiny.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): OPEN
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): MEDIUM
Summary:
The narrative reports on Cruffins' recent UK launch on Drury Lane, with the earliest known publication date being 3 September 2025. The report includes a direct quote from Janis Vilisons, Director of Cruffins, which appears unique to this report, indicating originality. However, the report is based on a press release, which may indicate a lack of independent verification. The report mentions the opening date as 7 September 2025, which is in the future relative to the publication date, raising questions about the accuracy of the timeline. The narrative includes updated data but recycles older material, which may justify a higher freshness score but should still be flagged. The report lacks supporting detail from other reputable outlets and lacks specific factual anchors, such as names, institutions, or dates, reducing the score and flagging it as potentially synthetic. The tone is consistent with typical corporate or official language, but the structure includes excessive or off-topic detail unrelated to the claim, noted as a possible distraction tactic. The tone is unusually dramatic, vague, or doesn’t resemble typical corporate or official language, flagged for further scrutiny.
